Whitney Cummings Talk Show!
“We usually put stuff like this on the Kahn Artists At Large Blog and save the main blog for things that (hopefully) educate and inspire. But c’mon!!!! How amazing is Whitney? Three shows in one year? If THAT’s not inspiring, what is????????!!!!!!!!” – LK
http://m.hollywoodreporter.com/news/whitney-cumings-talk-show-e-weekly-317898
Preparing for Pilot Season 2013
“If you want to have a real pilot season next year, here are three questions you need to start asking yourself right now…” (via Shirley B)
Letting Go = Booking Work
” . . . until the actor gets a strong body of work . . . casting just goes off the two inch square Breakdowns picture I submit to decide who gets in. So actors need a range of headshots theatrically for online purposes very similar to they way a commercial agent does. Of course pitching helps, but more and more CDs are refusing calls and not returning emails due to so many actors reaching out to making direct contact.
” . . . My philosophy . . . is a MONEYBALL approach. I’m trying to deal with the present facts versus what the traditional beliefs have been, i.e., celebrities are taking most of the great guest stars and movie stars are taking several series regular roles so some actors are going to have to keep taking co-stars if they want to work. . . . actors think co-stars are negative. I hate that attitude.
“Letting go = booking work and you can quote me on that.”
– Manager Kay Carr
Change the Product
Les,
I am wondering about casting director workshops. I feel like I’ve spent a lot of money and time in those workshops. I get good feedback (Ani Avetyan, Scott David, and Jeff Greenberg were crazy about me) and then very little result. I’m not sure what to do. Should I keep plugging away? Or target different offices? Or is my acting so out of control not where it should be that I should skip the workshops altogether? I’ve even done Dallas’ 40 day book a job challenge and nothing happened. My brain hurts. I’m a little down, but not at all beat yet. This journey is far from over.
Dear Down,
That’s a toughie. I guess if nothing’s happening in spite of the good feedback, I’d take a break from the cw’s and let the new acting stuff become habit. Then go back to the cw’s and see if anything changes. Clearly they’re not buying what you’re selling yet, so let’s change the product a little.
Woop-Woop!
Check out this great blog post from casting director Matthew Lessall.
http://filmindustrybloggers.com/thecastingdirector/2011/06/11/its-the-weekend-woop-woop/#comment-452
Commercial Agent Hunter
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Jill
Anti-Mediocrity
A manager asked me to assess a potential client yesterday — I thought you might find his responses (in blue) of interest. — Lester
Pursuant to your request, I worked with Actor P today. He chose to bring in material from GOOD WILL HUNTING. I never think it’s a great idea to bring in material that has been definitely performed by a much loved movie star – I just think it makes the actor’s job harder – but at least the writing was great so we had great material to work with.
Actor P is sweet and willing and seems like such a good kid. He certainly is dedicated and a good young man. His first read was not bad at all – just general. Not good as when we go into a room we only have one chance to make an impression. I like to tell the actors that most actors are mediocre – they work somewhere between 15 and 85 percent on a scale of 100. And that it doesn’t really matter what you do if your acting is within the mediocre range on that scale. I completely concur with you. You gotta break 85 just to get into the b+ range – just to not be a total waste of the casting director’s time. Totally! As they will take note and not see them again. And then you gotta break 90 to get a producer to wake up and notice you. Then 95 to get the people with the money to care. You know the biz that is why I send green or established talent to you. His read was a good, solid 75. Better than most, not interesting or exciting, but perfectly acceptable and not at all embarrassing. Not acceptable to go out in a buyers market. How long do you think it would take for you to work with him should he be able to go out there?
Then we worked – again he is extremely open and eager to learn. He did everything I asked him to do — and that wasn’t easy for him because he was somewhat attached to his way, but I can be persuasive (read: loud) and eventually he got a lot better. Up into the mid 80’s I’d say. Great!
He can be totally charming. But there was no zing. True. It’s very difficult to get kids to understand that acting actually isn’t just figuring out the best way to say the lines. They’re not big readers or dreamers – they’re very result-oriented, so it takes some time to get them to see the light. Yes, today’s generation is lacking in reading the golden years of their craft and willing to truly understand that acting is a profession and having all the right tools fine tuned in order to bring their point of view as only they can and finding the rhythm of the scene distinctly within the parameters of one’s own identity.
Fab Casting Director Matt Lessall Says . . .
“. . . meeting someone in real life is totally different [from] what is presented on screen and therefore it is probably a good idea to go into a meeting or audition with some sort of understanding that the image you are presenting in photos & on-screen may want to be reflected in the way you come to the meeting versus walking in with a Starbucks and your NYU comfy sweater that you have owned for 10 years and won’t get rid of because it is your favorite hoodie and makes you comfortable and feel anonymous: which is exactly the opposite reason as to why you are in L.A. . . . Give yourself the best opportunity for getting the gig, don’t assume we all know who you are and chill, it will all be fine…”
“. . . Actors have to be aware of how they look, it’s part of the deal: You get to be famous and successful and we get to scrutinize every ounce of your body. . . . ”
http://filmindustrybloggers.com/thecastingdirector/
Constructive Casting?
Dear Les,
I’ve been doing all these casting workshops, and not only am I not getting called in, but the casting directors just aren’t saying much of anything to me at all. And when they do say something, it’s definitely not constructive.
Dear Workshopper,
Please remember that casting workshops are NOT ACTING CLASSES. They are fab opportunities for you to get seen by casting directors you don’t know and maybe one day — because you attended one — you’ll get to audition for their show or their film. It is not the cd’s JOB to help you with your acting. It is simply their job to sit there, look at and listen to you. PERIOD. If anything else happens, that’s gravy. Yah, sure, the workshop companies make it SOUND like they’re classes, and SOME of the casting directors are great teachers and have wonderful things to say, but I wouldn’t go into them expecting that, anymore than I would attend my acting class expecting me to cast you in something. It’s not. Their job. Casting Workshops — no matter how much they try to sound like they’re not in order to function within the law — are simply audition opportunities. If you look at them as anything other than that, you are bound to be disappointed. If you feel your work and your marketing is in great shape, GO TO THEM, make fans, get auditions, and get jobs.
Paramount Looking for Tweens (Open Call)
Paramount just issued an open casting call for “real 13- and 14-year-old boys and girls for the lead roles in a new feature film. No previous acting experience is necessary, but must have a great energy and a wonderful sense of humor.” Here are the details, all you hopefuls. (And if you get the gig, be sure to ask in the contract for future psychotherapy, drug/alcohol rehab, jail bond, etc):
FEMALE 13-14 – AN ABSOLUTELY STUNNING NATURAL BEAUTY, STRONG AND CONFIDENT WITH A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR. SHOULD HAVE A MIDWESTERN FEEL.
MALE 13-14 – VERY HANDSOME AND/OR STRIKING. MUST HAVE A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR. SHOULD HAVE A MIDWESTERN FEEL. MUST BE 5’6” TO 5’11”
*MUST BRING A NON-RETURNABLE PHOTO WITH NAME, AGE, HEIGHT AND A CONTACT NUMBER ON THE BACK.
**MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY PARENT/GUARDIAN.
***PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN DRINKS/SNACKS, AS YOU MAY BE WAITING FOR SEVERAL HOURS TO BE SEEN BY THE CASTING DIRECTORS.
WHEN: SATURDAY AUGUST 21, 2010
WHERE: PARAMOUNT PICTURES STUDIOS, LOS ANGELES, CA 90038. BRONSON GATE – CORNER OF BRONSON AND MELROSE (JUST EAST OF THE MAIN GATE) STREET PARKING ONLY. LINE STARTS AT THE GATE ITSELF.
TIME: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION GO TO OUR WEBSITE:
http://www.paramount.com/casting/untitled/index.html
